Which version of ffmpeg to install?

English Multimedia
1

I still always use Packman repository for multimedia and codecs.
On new installation, when trying to install ffmpeg, I see there are multiple versions of this package: ffmpeg-3, -5, -7, -8, etc.

The magic question is, which version to install?
And if it depends on openSUSE current version, how can I tell?

Thanks beforehand.

2

AFAIK, ffmpeg-8 is the current, but ffmpeg-9 is there as well…

Suggest you peruse the forum as Packman will shutdown at the end of the year, chances are a new one will turn up.

3

In case a new one doesn’t turn up, seems like closest option will be the VLC repository. But wasn’t this repository kind of deprecated/obsolete? I remember the Packman docs strongly advising against it years ago…

Also, the ffmpeg original question stills up… or just install always latest one?
I’m worried about both this question and Packman shutting down because this package is the one used to play Youtube videos and I use them a lot.

4

It’s not a substitute for Packman, but might suffice for ffmpeg and codec needs…

https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Installing_ffmpeg_from_the_VLC_repository

5

A lengthy topic but see my comments here…

6

It also depends a bit on your internet browser. Firefox 14X.XX ESR needed a patch to make use ffmpeg8, I don’t know if that is still the case and if FF 15X.XX ESR can even make use of ffmpeg9. I had a similar issue with waterfox that was based on ff 14x.xx ESR, it could not use ffmpeg8, so I had to use ffmpeg7, but this has been fixed.

7

FWIW, I’m running the openSUSE-packaged Firefox 155.0.1 on Leap 16, with ffmpeg-8 8.1.2 and libavcodec62 installed, and I’m not aware of any Firefox media problems.

I also have ffmpeg-8 installed (VLC repo) on mt SR system.

8

I’m no longer using packages from the Packman repo on Leap 16.0 and I have Firefox 155.0.1 from the Mozilla repo, and ffmpeg 7.1.4, libavcodec58_134 and libavcodec61 from openSUSE. Firefox has played anything asked of it. To be honest, I’m not sure whether the older codec brings anything the newer one doesn’t, but it got itself installed somewhere along the way.

9

Leap 16.0 was originally shipped with ffmpeg-7 and unless some app requires a newer version you can keep that to EOL.
You may install a newer version manually, if some other app still requires ffmpeg-7 you will be unable to uninstall it without causing zypper conflicts.
You can keep multiple versions of ffmpeg when different apps require different versions.

10

I agree that the standard openSUSE codecs included in OSS are sufficient for the majority of multimedia purposes, including Firefox.

The VLC repo provides a means for additional codec coverage. My ffmpeg-8 provides H.264 and HEVC decoding for example…

DEV.LS h264  H.264 / AVC
DEV.LS hevc  H.265 / HEVC

Firefox doesn’t need VLC/Packman simply to play normal media.

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11

My main system with TW install from years ago still has ffmpeg-7. Would you recommend updating to 8 or 9 ?

12

I use ffmpeg-8 here.

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13

On Tumbleweed ffmpeg-9 is still for development purpose and installing it is likely to cause conflicts.

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14

Yes. If you look for ffmpeg with zypper se you can see for ffmpeg-9 only srcpackage is available.

15

I didn.t know packman will be closed so I had a look around and I found out smplayer appimage can play correctly all my hd and 4k videos, and can watch youtube videos also, all that without installing anything and not depending on any repo. Check it out when you have a chance.

16

Likewise, if you just wanted a version of VLC that plays HEVC and other problematic codecs, the VLC flatpak is easily installable from Flathub. But that’s not why people turn to the Packman and VideoLan repos.

Packman and VideoLan repos provide system-wide support for patent-encumbered codecs. A flatpak or appimage will only provide codec support for videos played specifically within its context.

You could of course install the flatpak or appimage version of every single package that could possibly need a codec, but for many Packman or VideoLan are more attractive solutions.

17

What do you mean exactly?. Just for me as a single user?.

18

In itself that is true. But …

  • Most codecs are supported by openSUSE’s ffmpeg and gstreamer stacks.
  • Since openh264 was given to us by Cisco ( thanks @lkocman and Neal Gompa ) there’s basically only the HEIC/HECV/x265 stack that one needs 3rd party codecs for
  • Flatpaks always come with the codecs the app can use.
  • If the user wants, they can even use the native and flatpak versions of apps/codecs alongside fine.
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19

An appimage of smplayer or a flatpak of vlc provides patent-encumbered codecs not provided by openSUSE (most notably HEIC/HEVC/x265), but those codecs are only usable by the flatpak or appimage. They can’t provide the codecs to other software like Firefox/Chromium, digiKam or whatever. You would need to install the flatpak version of each of those as well.

Packman and VLC repos provide the codecs through shared system libraries like libavcodec and lib265 and through shared tools like ffmpeg. Adding these repos means that any software on the system can decode those problematic codecs without Flatpak.

For most users, it’s not enough of a difference to be worth the hassle of non-standard repos, but for some it is worth it and that’s fine as long as they understand the hassle.

Absolutely. I was specifically talking about HEIC/HEVC/x265 support.

I’m not trying to start a debate on “Flatpaks vs Packman/VLC.” I was just trying to explainto @sidler_bot why anyone would choose the VLC repo.

I love Flatpaks, but also use the VLC repo to provide codecs for a few apps which I prefer to install natively.

1 Like
20

Thanks for your explanation. Actually I got it a bit later :smiling_face:
My advice was as a easy hassle-free solution for watching everything including youtube videos, for the situation F_style spoke about.